High-end switches offer a lot of features, scalability, and manageability, but many of these attributes are slowly creeping into less expensive models.

High EndThere's something to be said for products that offer the most features, even if they're pricey. That is surely the case with our Editors' Choice in the high-end category: the Foundry FastIron 4802. This $5,995 switch is actually at the lowest rung of Foundry's large set of enterprise-oriented offerings. The FastIron 4802's comprehensive feature set was matched by its stellar performance, and the switch's Web-based management interface is as much a pleasure to use as it is functional.

MidrangeAlmost any small or medium-size organization could build its network around any of the switches in our midrange and high-end categories and get a satisfactory result. That said, we give our Editors' Choice in the midrange to the Cisco Catalyst 2950T-24 ($1,995 list) for the sheer number of enterprise-level features packed into a decidedly low-priced product.

Low EndIn the same vein, we award an Editors' Choice to our low-end favorite, the SMC TigerStack II 6624M, which is a real bargain at $699. It's a 24-port managed switch that can be stacked into a configuration of up to 16 units, offering 384 ports. But if management features are superfluous to your needs, go for the D-Link DSS-24+. This unmanaged switch is Plug and Playsimple, and at $249, it's easy on the budget.

Frank is a vice president of Ziff Davis Media and a member of the Market Experts Group. He has had multiple careers in telecommunications and computer system operation and management, government procurement, education, and publishing. During a 20-year career in the Federal Government he ran large computer installations, programming shops (JOVIAL, C, and Ada), and acquisition organizations with billion dollar budgets. He began his career by installing radio and microwave systems in remote parts of the world.
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